Soom Tea Estate to reopen today

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 22 Oct 2024, Darjeeling: A tripartite meeting between the management of the Soom Tea Estate and representatives of the operating trade unions convened by the labour department resolved that the Soom tea estate will resume its normal functioning from Wednesday the 23rd October. 

The management had declared a work suspension at the Soom Tea Estate from October 7 as there were ‘some disturbances after disbursement of 16% bonus and workers did not report for work.’ 

In another development, the deputy labour commissioner, GTA, Darjeeling has called for a joint conference regarding ‘present state of affairs of Longview Tea Garden.’ 

The talks in which the management of Longview along with the operating trade unions have been invited will be held on October 23 at 12 pm at the conference hall of the Shramik Bhawan, Dagapur complex, Siliguri. 

Incidentally, the tea estate that has been facing unrest over different issues including non-payment of dues and bonus has been a work suspension declared by the Management since October 15 citing a ‘series of incidents and gross indiscipline on a regular basis having direct impact on the finances and running of the tea garden.’ 

The tea garden located around 25 km from Siliguri has been facing unrest for a prolonged period with workers’ dues being unpaid. 

The bonus issue further aggravated the matter with workers sitting on a relay hunger strike. Amidst this, the management declared a work suspension. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/nation/soom-tea-estate-to-reopen-today-584136